QUEENSLAND Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced the formation of an Economic Functional Recovery Group to help combat the impact of coronavirus.
“The impact of this health crisis will be felt across multiple sectors, from hotel beds and airlines, to agriculture, education, trade and retail,” the Premier said.
“We will deal with this crisis in the same resilient way we deal with any natural disaster, be it flooding, cyclones or bushfires.”
The Premier said the Queensland Government’s Economic Functional Recovery Group would be immediately convened to assist local government, business and industry implement response actions to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus.
“Today, a Roundtable Industry Forum was held at Parliament House to update Queensland industry leaders on the coronavirus, and to hear firsthand from those sectors how government could assist,” she said.
“The scale and scope of economic impacts from this event will become clearer over coming days as we continue to speak with industry.
“The impact on tourism will be significant with travel restrictions now in place from mainland China and tourists from other areas unwilling to fly due to the perceived risks.”
The Premier said that international student education services have also been impacted with students unable to travel to Australia for the start of the school and university year.
“There will also be implications for food and agricultural exports to China with imports expected to be affected with all shipping crews having to be medically cleared prior to the pilots boarding ships.”
